Agriculture

Sri Lanka struggles to irrigate rice paddies in South, avoid power cuts

Wednesday August 2, 2023 9:29 am

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka is struggling to provide water to rice paddies in Southern Sri Lanka at the tail end of the Yala minor cultivation season amid low water levels in a key reservoirs, officials said.

The Samanalawewa reservoir is a key source of power for the Southern provincial grid, which has transmission bottlenecks to transmit energy from other areas.

Rice farmers Fed by reservoirs in the South including Uda Walawe and Samanalawera reservoirs are facing water shortages.

“Due to the need to generate power, we have been informed that water cannot be released from the Samanalawewa reservoir,” Agriculture Secretary Gunadasa Amarasinghe told Sri Lanka’s Hiru Television.

“We are hoping to get water from tanks in the Velioya scheme to Walawe river and give the water to the farmers.”

According to Mahaweli Authority data storage in Samanalawewa Reservoir was down to 12.4 percent, and Uda Walawe down to 2.9 percent.

Power cuts of at least three hours may have to be imposed on the Southern grid if water was released according to some reports.

Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told reporters that only two rounds of water releases involving about a week was required for the rice paddies.

Reports said the authorities had decided to prioritize electricity and compensate farmers if necessary.

The South West monsoons this year have been weak, according to officials. Reservoirs in several districts are below last year.

A 300Megawatt coal power plant, is also under scheduled maintainance after a delay. (Colombo/Aug02/2023)

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Legal

Sri Lanka finding ways to clear 1.1mn pending cases: Justice Minister

Tuesday December 5, 2023 7:45 am

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka is taking a series of steps to speed up 1.1 million pending court cases and encourage alternative dispute solving mechanisms, Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapakshe said.

“The delay in court cases is a serious problem,” Minister Rajapakshe told a briefing at the President’s Media Centre.

“We have already taken several steps to expedite cases.”

There were 5,680 cases in Supreme Court, 4,054 in the Court of Appeal, 6,168 in the High Court of Civil Appeal, 8,363 in the Commercial High Court, 28,000 in the High Court, 254,000 in District Courts and 791,000 in Magistrates Courts.

In 2015, only 49 percent of complaints to mediation boards were resolved. Following reforms, the ratio has been increased to 70 percent.

The value of disputes going to mediation board has been raised to one million rupees from 500,000 rupees.

To solve land problems in the post-war period, special mediation boards on property was set up in the North and the East.

Mediation boards on property will be set up in another 16 districts.

Commercial High Courts were increased to four from three.

Another Commercial High Court will be set up in the future. The consideration of cases that can go to a High Court was raised from 4 million rupees to 10 million rupees.

A commercial dispute resolution law will be introduced next January.

A small claims court has been established.

Case involving disputes below 2 million rupees can be directed to small claims court.

Markets

Sri Lanka stocks close up as some investor interest returns

Monday December 4, 2023 6:12 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – The Colombo Stock Exchange closed up on Monday, CSE data showed.

The All Share Price Index was up 0.22 percent, or 23.33 points, at 10,743.59.

The S&P SL20 index was up 0.68 percent, or 20.60 points, at 3,067.73.

Turnover was at 708 million. The banks sector contributed 189 million, while the food, beverage and tobacco sector contributed 176 million of this.

Sri Lanka’s stock market has seen some investor interest return after last week’s news that the country had managed an agreement on a debt restructuring deal with an official creditor committee, and foreign funds for some development projects resumed.

Top positive contributors to the ASPI in the day were Sampath Bank Plc (up at 71.50), LOLC Holdings Plc (up at 379.00), and Commercial Bank of Ceylon Plc, (up at 90.90).

There was a net foreign outflow of 52 million.

Citrus Leisure Plc, which announced that its banquet hall and revolving restaurant at the Lotus Tower would launch on or around Dec 9, saw its share price rise to 6.20 rupees. (Colombo/Dec4/2023).

Bonds & Forex

Sri Lanka rupee closes broadly steady at 328.10/30 to the US dollar

Monday December 4, 2023 5:24 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s rupee closed at 328.10/30 to the US dollar on Monday, from 328.00/10 on Friday, dealers said.

Bond yields were stable.

A bond maturing on 01.06.2025 closed at 13.70/14.00 percent from 13.70/95 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.08.2026 closed at 13.90/14.10 percent from 13.90/14.05 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.01.2027 closed at 14.00/14.10 percent from 14.05/10 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.07.2028 closed at 14.20/35 percent from 14.15/25 percent.

A bond maturing on 15.05.2030 closed at 14.25/45 percent, from 14.20/45 percent.

A bond maturing on 01.07.2032 closed at 14.05/40 percent, from 14.00/45 percent. (Colombo/Dec4/2023)